1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to housing for a plurality of primary cell batteries and, more particularly, to a housing especially adapted for enabling a plurality of batteries therein to be electrically connected either in parallel or in series.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Large numbers of portable electrical and electronic devices are battery powered. Typical battery powered devices employ one or more individual batteries that, individually, are designed to provide approximately 1.5 volts. When a particular device needs 1.5 volts, one 1.5 volt battery is employed, or a plurality of 1.5 volt batteries are connected in parallel. When a particular device needs 3 volts, two 1.5 volt batteries are connected in series. When a particular device needs 6 volts, four 1.5 volt batteries are connected in series. Other multiples of 1.5 volts can also be used.
Many battery powered devices have input jacks to receive a plug that receives electrical power from a battery pack. Yet all of such devices do not require the same voltage source. Some require a 1.5 volt source; some require a 3 volt source; some require a 6 volt source, and so on. In this respect, it would be desirable if a battery pack apparatus were provided which could be adaptable to providing a variety of battery-powered electrical devices.
As 1.5 volt batteries are used, their voltage output gradually drops. Eventually, the actual voltage output is so far below the specified or expected voltage output that the batteries are considered worn out and need to be replaced. However, when a 1.5 volt battery is so-called worn out, it is not a totally dead battery. That is, it generally provides a measurable just below a required voltage. If one or more worn out batteries, that are originally connected in parallel, are reconnected in series, than the voltage output is cumulative, and the cumulative voltage output may be more than the required 1.5 volts. In this respect, it would be desirable ff a battery pack apparatus were provided that enabled a plurality of worn out 1.5 volt batteries to be connected in series to provide a cumulative voltage that is equal to or greater than 1.5 volts.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to apparatuses designed to either connect a plurality of batteries in parallel or in series depending upon a specific voltage required. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are representative of some of those innovations: 3,718,848; 4,409,537; 4,581,570; 5,121,046; and 5,230,967. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,848 a complex battery and charger system that includes switching for connecting a plurality of batteries to a motor and includes switching for connecting the batteries to a charger. Often, batteries used in portable battery-powered devices are not rechargeable batteries. Therefore, the presence of complex charging and switching circuitry would be superfluous. In this respect, it would be desirable if a battery pack apparatus were provided which does not include battery charging apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,537 discloses plural groups of individual batteries that are connected together in such a way to provide a positive voltage, a negative voltage, and a neutral voltage therebetween. The batteries appear to be connected together in one specific way to provide the positive, negative, and neutral voltages. There does not appear to be any disclosure of a selection between different positive voltages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,570 discloses a switch assembly for a multiple power cell unit which is designed to provide booster power to a battery by interconnecting the terminals of the cells from an original standby parallel connection to a series connection when terminal connecting busses and their contact elements are moved from parallel to series connection. With this device, a sliding plate is used to switch batteries from a series to parallel connection and vice versa. A difficulty that may be encountered in using a sliding plate is the possibility that a sliding plate may inadvertently be slid from a desired position to an undesired position. In this respect, it would be desirable if a battery pack apparatus were provided which enabled selective connection of batteries in either parallel or series without using a sliding connection plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,046 discloses an automatic series/parallel battery connecting arrangement. This device employs complex voltage sensing components and complex switching circuit elements that are switched automatically from a parallel to a series mode which more voltage is required. A large number of solid-state electronic components are employed, and a complex assembly effort is required to connect so many distinct electronic components together. In this respect, it would be desirable if a battery pack apparatus were provided that avoids the use of solid-state electronic components and avoids the need to assemble a complex array of solid-state components together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,967 discloses a battery which includes a plurality of electrochemical cell units that are selectively connected together either in parallel or in series. Connector devices of opposite polarity may be provided symmetrically on either side of a centerline about which the unit cell can be rotated 180 degrees to be stacked in either of two orientations. The connector devices are provided at adjacent corners of rectangular unit cells. A problem associated with this device is that the individual electrochemical cell units are not housed in housing. Moreover, a stack of electrochemical cell units must be carefully positioned with respect to each other in one stack arrangement or another stack arrangement depending upon whether a parallel or a series arrangement is being employed. In this respect, it would be desirable if a battery pack apparatus provides an adequate housing for a plurality of alternatively connectable battery units. Furthermore, it would be desirable if a battery pack apparatus were provided in which a plurality of electrochemical cell units need not be carefully stacked or restacked with respect to each other depending upon whether a parallel or series arrangement is employed.
Still other features would be desirable in a selectable connection battery housing apparatus. For example, a housing may be viewed as having a top, a bottom, and sides in between. It may be desirable to place electrical conductors in the top and the bottom, and it would be desirable to be able to select between parallel and series connection of batteries by altering orientations of the housing top and bottom.
Another desirable feature of a selectable connection battery housing apparatus is to be able to readily switch the polarity of the power output from the apparatus. That is, it would be desirable to be able to selectively provide either a positive or a negative voltage from the batteries employed.
Since one selectable connection battery housing apparatus can be used for a plurality of different battery-powered devices, it would be desirable if the selectable connection battery housing apparatus could be carried by a person in a hands-free manner so as to leave the hands free to operate the device that is connected to and powered by the selectable connection battery housing apparatus. In this respect, it would be desirable if a battery pack apparatus were provided with a clip that enabled the selectable connection battery housing apparatus to be readily connected to an article of clothing so that the selectable connection battery housing apparatus can be carried in a hands-free manner.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to selectively connect batteries in either parallel or series arrangements, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a selectable connection battery housing apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) is adapted to providing battery power to a variety of battery-powered electrical devices; (2) enables a plurality of worn out 1.5 volt batteries to be connected in series to provide a cumulative voltage that is equal to or greater than 1.5 volts; (3) does not include battery charging apparatus; (4) enables selection between different positive voltages; (5) enables selective connection of batteries in either parallel or series without using a sliding connection plate; (6) avoids the use of solid-state electronic components and avoids the need to assemble a complex array of solid-state components together; (7) provides a housing for a plurality of alternatively connectable battery units; (8) provides a battery pack apparatus in which a plurality of electrochemical cell units need not be carefully stacked or restacked with respect to each other depending upon whether a parallel or series arrangement of battery connection is employed; (9) has electrical conductors in the top and the bottom portions of a housing and provides selection between parallel and series connection of batteries by altering orientations of the housing top and bottom; (10) enables one to selectively provide either a positive or a negative voltage from the batteries employed; and (11) is provided with a clip that enables the selectable connection battery housing apparatus to be readily connected to an article of clothing so that the selectable connection battery housing apparatus can be carried in a hands-free manner. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique selectable connection battery housing apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.